Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant remains in Memphis
Despite constant trade talks around star point guard Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies elected to keep him past the trade deadline.
The Grizzlies began taking calls about Morant as early as January, leading multiple teams to express interest in the two-time All-Star. However, no organization was willing to make a serious offer for him.
Memphis has shifted its commitment to Morant due to a variety of factors, including his limited availability in recent seasons. He has played in just 79 games since the start of the 2023-24 season and has missed 20 of the team’s first 49 games this season due to suspensions and a plethora of injuries.
Morant is still sidelined with an ulnar collateral ligament sprain in his left elbow. He last played on Jan. 21 against the Atlanta Hawks. He is averaging 19.5 points, 8.1 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, but is shooting career lows of 41.0 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from beyond the arc.
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Despite the uncertainty around Morant, the Grizzlies made other notable moves before the trade deadline, including moving star big man Jaren Jackson Jr., Jock Landale, John Konchar, and Vince Williams Jr. to the Utah Jazz in exchange for three first-round picks along with Kyle Anderson, Georges Niang, Taylor Hendricks, and Walter Clayton Jr.
Beyond that, the move created a $28.8 million trade exception, the largest in NBA history. The Grizzlies are in a career rebuild mode, which could quickly put Morant on the move as soon as next offseason.
